Designated for publication Duncan, J. (Graves, Ho, Duncan), Graves, J., dissenting in part; Ho, J., dissenting; COVID-19, mootness Dismissing appeal of injunction of Navy vaccine mandates, as moot, after Navy complied with Congressional directive, rescinded challenged policies requiring COVID-19 vaccinations even for servicemembers with religious objections, and formally announced that vaccines would not be imposed … More July 6, 2023, opinions
Designated for publication Engelhardt, J. (Richman, Ho, Engelhardt), National Environmental Policy Act, sovereign immunity Affirming summary judgment in favor of Corps of Engineers on plaintiffs’ claims that Corps should be compelled to prepare a supplemental environmental impact statement pursuant to NEPA to increase usage of the Bonnet Carre Spillway, which summary judgment dismissed claims on … More March 27, 2023, opinions
Designated for publication per curiam (denial of en banc rehearing; voting against rehearing were Richman, Jones, Stewart, Southwick, Haynes, Graves, Higginson, Willett, Ho, Duncan, Douglas, JJ.; voting for rehearing were Smith, Elrod, Engelhardt, Oldham, Wilson, JJ.); Higginbotham, J., concurring in denial of rehearing; Higginson, J., concurring in denial of rehearing; Oldham, J., dissenting from denial … More March 23, 2023, opinions
Designated for publication Smith, J. (Jones, Smith, Graves), insurance, COVID-19 Affirming dismissal of helicopter services company in dispute arising from claim against its all-risk insurer to recover economic losses from the partial interruption of business during the pandemic. The Court held that the requirement for “direct physical loss of or damage” to property as an … More January 30, 2023, opinions
Designated for publication Southwick, J. (Jones, Southwick, Ho), criminal, sufficiency of evidence, search and seizure Affirming in part, reversing in part, and remanding; affirming conviction of _________; reversing conviction of for insufficient evidence; and remanding for Government to elect between overlapping counts of ________. The Court found no reversible error in the district court’s denial … More December 19, 2022, opinions
Unpublished per curiam (Dennis, Elrod, decided by quorum), intervention Reversing district court’s denial of intervention-of-right to five entities involved in the electric transmission market in case brought to challenge constitutionality of Texas statute providing a regulatory right of first refusal to the owner of an existing utility facility for the connection of new electric transmission … More December 7, 2022, opinions
(Playing a bit of catch-up after some traveling and oral arguing, so the “Designated for Publication” summaries will be a bit briefer than usual) Designated for publication Graves, J. (Wiener, Graves, Oldham), Wiener, J., dissenting; products liability Affirming dismissal of products-liability claims against firearms manufacturer for an allegedly faulty trigger mechanism. The Court held that … More November 2-9, 2022, opinions
Designated for publication Wilson, J. (Dennis, Southwick, Wilson), Dennis, J., dissenting in part; criminal, sufficiency of evidence, restitution, competence, severance, search and seizure, Brady violation Affirming in part, vacating in part, and remanding for further proceedings on convictions and sentences arising from RICO conspiracy, drug trafficking, firearms, and murder charges related to violent gang activity. … More October 11-17, 2022, opinions
Designated for publication per curiam (Jones, Ho, Wilson), criminal, sentencing, Armed Career Criminal Act Vacating sentence on conviction of being a felon in possession of a firearm, and remanding for resentencing, disagreeing with the district court that the ACCA (which would increase the statutory maximum from ten years to a minimum of 15 years) was … More September 26-28, 2022, opinions
Designated for publication Duncan, J. (Smith, Duncan, Oldham), Oldham, J., concurring in part; insurance, COVID-19 Affirming dismissal of plaintiff’s claims against insurer, agent, and broker after denial of claims for direct physical loss of or damage to property arising from income lost during mandatory pandemic shutdown. The Court held that the district court did not … More September 20, 2022, opinions
